


To Hell With Us

by TriStarRebel09



Category: Stargate SG-1
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:48:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 8,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23100451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TriStarRebel09/pseuds/TriStarRebel09
Summary: This story follows the events of the episode The Devil You Know from Stargate SG-1 Season 3 Episode 12.  This is not a "what if" or AU, I am not changing anything.  However, there are so many memories and emotions in that episode I wanted a space to explore them further.The Devil You Know is the second in a two part episode, the following is a summary of the first part, Jolinar's Memories -"Martouf tells Major Samantha Carter that her father Jacob Carter has been captured by Sokar and sent to "hell", which is actually a prison moon Netu terraformed to make it resemble hell. Carter and the rest of her team plan a rescue but are later captured themselves." From - https://stargate.fandom.com/wiki/Jolinar%27s_Memories
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6





	1. One

As the upper door to the pit closed over their heads for the second time that day no one said anything. The reverberating clank as it was locked had a sense of finality, as though it were literally sealing their fate. They had been so close, so close to escaping only to have it all come crashing down. Just a few more seconds and they would have been on the Tel Tak with Teal’c headed back home. The guards had searched them all thoroughly before throwing them back in, but the only thing left to find was the memory recall control device Martouf had in his pocket.  
“Well,” Jack finally spoke, “this sucks.” He turned to the rest of them, “am I going crazy, wasn’t that damn son of a gun dead? We all did see him die, did we not?”  
“I did warn you that Sokar could revive Apophis in a sarcophagus if he was sent back through the gate,” said Martouf.  
“Didn’t have much of a choice now did we,” countered Jack, “what with the whole burning through our Stargate and all.”  
“What is Apophis thinking anyways?” Asked Daniel. “Sokar will see this as a challenge. There’s no way he could possibly go up against his army and expect to win.”  
“He seemed pretty confident to me,” said Jack.  
“Apophis would not have risked the wrath of Sokar unless he believed he had a chance. He currently has that chance to buy his freedom.”  
“With us,” Jack said darkly.  
“With the information we hold,” Martouf clarified. Apophis holds SG-1 and two Tok’ra. He believes the secrets if the Tauri and Tok’ra could be his.” The group was silent for a moment.  
“Well,” said Jack again, “lucky us.”

Sam settled Jacob against the bars of the pit. She wasn't sure how much he was aware of anymore. He hadn’t said anything since they were dragged back out of Binar’s quarters. Martouf crossed over as she tucked her discarded jacket behind his head.  
“How is he?” he asked.  
“Hes burning up,” Sam replied. Martouf sat down next to her. Neither of them needed to say what was obvious, Jacob and Selmack would last much longer in this place.  
After a moment Martouf said, “may I ask you a question?”  
“Sure” responded Sam leaning her head back.  
“Who is Debra?”  
“What?” asked Sam sitting up straight.  
“Debra. Jacob was saying it over and over earlier while you were gone.  
Sam was silent for a long time. “She was my mother. She died when I was 13.”  
“I am sorry. What was she like?”  
“She was incredible. Brilliant and beautiful, she was my hero when I was a kid. I still miss her every day. Losing her almost destroyed us, my dad and I, but we made it through. He blamed himself for what happened to her for so long until he was blended and I think Selmak kinda helped him let go of the guilt a little and finally start to move on.” Sam sighed, “I have to get him out Martouf. I can't lose him here, not after I just got him back.”  
Martouf reached over and very briefly brushed her hand with his fingers. “I am certain that your mother would be very proud of you Samantha.”

If it hadn’t been too hot to move, Daniel would have been pacing. It had been ever so slightly cooler up in Binar’s quarters, and now that they were back the heat was bordering on unbearable. And seeing how he had spent several summers excavating in Egypt and had lived on Abydos for a year that was saying something.  
Abydos. His thoughts drifted. Abydos, where he’d still be now if he’d just buried the damn gate. He’d almost done it several times, he knew in the back of his mind it was the best way to protect the people that had become his family. But then he found the temple with the cartouche room and suddenly he realized a whole galaxy waited for him at the other end of his stargate. At night the stars whispered temptations to him of knowledge and exploration.  
Where would he be now if he were still on Abydos? Sitting around the fire enjoying an evening meal with Sha’re. Her thick hair glinting in the flickering light. Her laugh filling the warm air. Maybe there would have been a child by now as well. They had talked about it. Would their baby have his eyes or Sha’re’s?  
He looked around the room at the friends he had made and thought of everything they had done together the past three years. The relationships they had built. Everything they had seen and learned and discovered. If he could, if he could go back, would he be willing to trade all that for his life back on Abydos? He was saved from answering his own rhetorical question by Jack sitting down next to him.  
“You okay?” he asked.  
“Not really,” Daniel responded  
“Yeah.”  
This was one of the things Daniel appreciated about his friend. He knew when not to push and to just let things go.  
“I’m sorry you know.” Daniel said.  
“For losing the communicator? Not your fault. They would have found it anyways.”  
“No,” Daniel said quickly, “For going off on Apophis. It probably wasn't smart to goad him. I just… ahhh..” he trailed off, pushing his glasses up to rub his eyes.  
“Yeah,” Jack said again, “I know.”  
“So, how long do you think he’ll make us wait.”  
“Oh, I'm sure that slimy good for nothing snake head is composing his evil monologue as we speak.”  
“Lucky us,” Daniel said again.


	2. Chapter 2

“So what does this make our count?” Jack said after a while.  
“A count of what?” Martouf asked, confused.  
“Colonel O’Neill is keeping track of how many times we’ve been captured by the Goa'uld.” Sam explained.   
“For what purpose?”   
Sam shrugged and rolled her eyes slightly.   
“I dunno,” said Daniel. “Four? Five? Teal’c would know.”  
“Of course he would.” Jack said.  
“Are we counting the time Hathor brainwashed you guys and then you captured Janet, Teal’c and I back on the base?” asked Sam.  
“No” said Jack.  
“I really prefer not to think about that experience at all,” Daniel added.  
“What about that time with the Pyrus guy?” Jack added. “He was pretending to be a Goa’uld. We got stuck working in those mines while Daniel lived it up in the castle with the princess…”  
“Alright, alright, alright,” Daniel interrupted. “You know, I really don’t like this game.”

“How about a new game?” Jack suggested. “At this point, who has ‘died’ ” he made finger quotes in the air, “and come back more times, Daniel or Apophis?” Daniel shot him a dangerous look and for once Jack was smart enough to drop it.   
Sam found herself smiling, despite the looming severity of their situation. Leave it to the Colonel to be able to break the palpable tension that was wrapping around them.  
The sound of footsteps outside the gate of their prison sent Daniel and Jack to their feet. Several of the guards that were with Apophis earlier entered. The leader of the group carried the staff weapon which he lowered in their direction,  
“The woman will come with us.” He said without preamble.   
Sam’s stomach clenched at his words. Before she could do anything Jack spoke up, “Umm, I don’t think so.”   
Sam heard the staff weapon discharge and someone hit the floor but didn’t have a clear line of sight. Her heart leapt into her throat and she jumped to her feet to see the Colonel on the ground, hand covering a wound in his leg. She allowed herself to feel a small amount of relief as she stepped in front of him, hands outstretched.   
“Okay,” she said, “okay”. She tried to look over her shoulder to make certain the rest of them were alright but one of the guards grabbed her arm and yanked her out of the cell and down the hallway beyond.


	3. Chapter 3

As soon as the guards had left the cell, Daniel dropped to his knees next to Jack. The staff blast had impacted his thigh. He pulled his bandana out of his pocket, glad that the guards hadn’t confiscated it and that he'd remembered to wash it before this mission and wrapped it around Jack’s leg.   
“Ahh, easy!” he yelled at Daniel covering his face with his hands. Daniel ignored his outburst and finished tying the makeshift bandage. Together with Martouf, they were able to get Jack up and move him across the room next to Jacob.   
This isn’t good, we're dropping like flies here, Daniel thought to himself.   
Jack leaned back, “Damn those bastards” he gritted out, closing his eyes. “Why didn’t they take me?”  
Daniel shot a glance at Martouf.   
“Major Carter does hold the memories of a Tok’ra in addition to her own knowledge of the Tau’ri,” Martouf said.   
Jack’s eyes opened and narrowed at the Tok’ra. “I know that Marty. And now she’s been remembering even more thanks to that damned thing you stuck in her head.”  
“Hey!” Daniel said, laying a hand on Jack’s shoulder. He knew from experience that an injured, angry colonel was a force to be reckoned with and that things would probably not end well for Martouf if he kept it up. “Look, this isn’t going to help. Right now let’s take care of Jacob for Sam and see if we can’t come up with another way to get out of here. Teal’c is still out there somewhere. There’s still a chance.   
Jack was still looking like he wanted to punch Martouf, but he nodded his head. Martouf nodded as well before getting to his feet to go check on Jacob.   
“Hurts like hell, doesn’t it?” Daniel asked Jack inclining his head at his leg. Jack grunted in agreement. “You know,” Daniel continued, “I seem to remember you telling me to just quit whining about it the last time I got shot.”  
“Shut up Daniel,” said Jack, closing his eyes again. 

Sam was hurried through the underground corridors along a route that was quickly becoming depressingly familiar. She realized that she had never faced Apophis alone before. When the team was together they drew strength and courage from each other in a way that wrapped around and through them like extra armour. She felt their absence as she stumbled and the guard’s hand tightened painfully like a vise over her upper arm.   
Dread at what was coming mixed with worry for her father and the Colonel all while the memory of Jolinar’s screams still echoed in her head. She should have had Martouf take off the device once she had learned how Jolinar had escaped Natu. Now there was too much mixed up in her mind and she couldn’t think straight. She took a deep breath and thought of her team, her father, of General Hammond, her brother, her niece and nephew, of everyone one earth. Their lives could very well depend on her. She would be strong. She would not give in, for them.


	4. Chapter 4

It seemed like forever until they finally heard the clank of the gate again. Daniel and Martouf stood up together in front of Jack. Daniel looked back over his shoulder to where the Colonel was struggling to rise as well.   
“Jack,” he asked, “What are you doing?”  
“Dammit Daniel, just help me the hell up won’t you?” He bit out.   
Daniel knew better than to argue, so he sighed and extended an arm to pull the injured Colonel to his feet. Jack pushed his way between him and Martouf just as the guards rounded the corner dragging an apparently unconscious Sam between them. They unceremoniously dropped her to the ground in front of the three men but just as Daniel started to crouch down to check on her the leader raised his staff weapon and pointed it between Jack’s eyes. Since the man’s shoot first policy was still very fresh in his mind Daniel stopped moving and slowly lifted his arms from his sides.   
“What did you do to her?” Jack said in a low, dangerous voice.  
“You are O’Neill?” he said by way of response.  
“That would be me”  
Without saying anything further the leader jerked his head and the other guards grabbed Jack who was forced to hop on his good leg to avoid being dragged along.   
As soon as the staff weapon swung around away from Daniel he dropped to the ground and searched Sam’s neck for a pulse.   
“Daniel?” Jack called back before they could shove him through the gate.  
“She’s alive Jack,” he replied to his unfinished question.   
“Alive” Jack thought as he was forced along. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to carry him to whatever was next. 

Daniel had lost track of how much time had passed since they had arrived on Natu. He and Martouf had settled Sam on their pile of cast-off jackets, but she still hadn’t woken up. He leaned back against the bars and closed his eyes. No one had said it but he could feel this place doing exactly what Sokar had intended it to do, slowly draining away any hope they might have or any will to fight on. Doubt was invading his mind, tearing away any thought that they might possibly escape. After three years of near misses and beating all the odds this would be it, this would be the end of the line. They would hold his funeral for real this time.   
With Jack injured, Sam unconscious, Jacob barely alive and their means of communication with Teal’c stolen away, what could they possibly do? The heat was brutally oppressive but there was no moisture left in his body to sweat. His tongue had started to swell and his throat felt as if he had been caught in an Abydonian sandstorm. The smells floating over him were so repulsive that they would have emptied his stomach had there actually been anything left in there.   
The one thought that kept him going was that he could not let Apophis win. Seeing him again so soon after losing Sha’re for good had filled him with a rage so violent that it had taken all his control not to launch himself at the Goa’uld. He had never felt that kind of blinding fury before. At the time It hadn’t made Sha’re’s death any easier to bear, but at least he had the knowledge that the one who had stolen his wife would never harm anyone ever again. Now it made it so much harder to accept. Daniel had never wanted revenge before in his life, but it beat through his veins now. He could not let Apophis get away again.


	5. Chapter 5

Sam awoke to a firestorm inside her head. Fragments and flashes of memory both her own and Jolinar’s fought with a consistent and rhythmic pounding that made it hurt to move. Her first time walking through the gate. Her mother’s funeral. Saying goodbye to Martouf for the last time before being sent to Netu. The ashrak slowly draining her life away. She couldn’t tell whose mind was who’s any longer. It felt as though the dam that had held back most of Jolinar’s mind had burst and now she was drowning in a swirling maelstrom of thought and memory. In the chaos one urgent thought came rushing back and she seized it like a life raft.   
“Dad” she whispered. Her eyes fluttered open but before she could move the world slid sideways.   
From nearby she heard Daniel’s voice, “Sam, are you okay?” he sounded worried.  
She ignored his question and asked instead, “My dad. Is he okay?”  
Daniel hesitated a second. “He's not doing so good but he’s still with us.”   
“Apophis said he was going to kill him.” The room was coming into focus and she saw Daniel and Martouf exchange a look.   
“No… they uh brought you back and they took Jack,” Daniel said.   
“Samantha, are you alright?” Martouf asked this time.  
“Apophis wanted Earth’s iris codes. I’m pretty sure I didn’t give anything up, but if my Dad’s still here…” she trailed off as she gave voice to the fear that had been nagging in the back of her brain. That she would fail and all of Earth would be doomed as a result. It had all been such a chaotic, disorienting blur, so hard to know what was even real and what was just manipulation.   
“Sam,” Daniel gently interrupted her thoughts. “If you gave Apophis what he wanted we’d all be dead now.   
She nodded once, “okay”.  
“Sam?” came her father’s voice from across the room. Trying to stand caused the darkness to overtake her again, so she crawled the distance to him. 

Both Martouf and Lantash were feeling guilty about entangling SG-1 in this situation. They had told Colonel O’Neill the truth, they would have come alone to find Jacob and relay his intelligence back to the Tok’ra. Martouf knew that Colonel would never have gone along with that though. Not with Samantha’s father's life on the line. And then he had left the memory device on her and Apophis used it against her. She was suffering because of him.   
Their feelings concerning Major Samantha Carter were complicated at best. Martouf told Samantha that he and Lantash loved as one, but the truth wasn’t quite as simple.   
“She’s not Jolinar” Lantash reminded Martouf frequently.   
“I’m well aware,” he would reply.   
“Would you feel as you do if she had never been host to Jolinar?” Martouf had no answer to that question. He realized that he was desperate for one last connection with his mate, desperate to uncover the secrets that had died with her. Now he knew, and he didn’t know what to feel. He couldn’t be angry, there was no one to be angry with. He simply felt as though he had lost her all over again.   
He looked over at Samantha sitting by her father. His feelings may be complicated, but he knew for certain he cared for her deeply. He could not lose her as well.


	6. Chapter 6

Jack O’Neil kept all of his memories of his son Charlie locked in the back of his mind. Sometimes he would take them out, carefully savor them, and then put them back. They could not be allowed to roam free through his head or they would overtake him as they almost did before the first Abydos mission. Now Apophis had torn down those barriers and those memories were racing through his conscious unchecked and uncontrolled.   
There was Sara smiling up at him from the hospital bed, their tiny baby boy tucked in her arms. There was Charlie, missing his two front teeth, baseball hat over his messy hair, smiling at him from home plate. Now his tiny fingers held Jack’s hands as he let go and shakily took his very first steps. There was the crack of a gunshot. Trying to wake him up to go to school. Charlie leaning over his cake, blowing out four candles. The sound of a gunshot. Jack let go of the seat and Charlie triumphantly rode off on his bike all on his own. A gunshot. It echoed over and over again beating against his brain with unrelenting guilt. With all his remaining strength, Jack reached through the darkness, seized the scattered memories, and slammed the door shut.   
“Jack, Jack!” Someone was shaking him as he gingerly clawed his way back to consciousness. He opened his eyes to see Daniel inches from his face.   
“Jesus Daniel,” he said startled.   
“Sorry,” Daniel apologized. “Can you sit up?”   
“Give me a second.” His head was pounding, his leg was throbbing painfully and the room was spinning. After a minute Daniel helped him up and propped him up against the bars.   
“Are you okay?” Daniel asked.  
“Daniel. I took a staff blast to the leg, that sonofabitch snake head screwed with my mind, and oh yeah, we’re still stuck in an inescapable prison. So no, I am not okay.”  
Daniel spread his hands in silent apology.   
Jack continued on, “When we get out of here, I will have some strong words for the Tok’ra high council regarding their use of memory technology. Also, remind me to kick Martouf’s ass for putting that thing on Carter in the first place.”  
Daniel gave a faint smile, “Will do Jack.”  
After a minute he asked, “Is she alright?”   
Daniel looked over his shoulder to where Sam was sitting with her father. “Yeah, she’s alright. She woke up about an hour after they took you. Jacob’s not doing great, Martouf thinks that we can maybe…” Daniel trailed off as he looked over at Jack to see that he had passed back out again.


	7. Chapter 7

Jack once again found himself crawling up through the darkness of unconsciousness. This time though, his thoughts were not on his son, but of someone else.  
“Carter?” He said loudly, eyes flying open.  
“I’m here sir,” she said from nearby. She sounded tired and more defeated than usual. He heard her quietly converse with Daniel and then she was beside him.  
“Hi Sir,” she said sitting down.  
“Hey there Carter. How’s Dad?”  
“Not great, but he’s hanging in there. How's the leg sir?” she asked  
“Fantastic Carter,” he replied. “I won’t say I was disappointed that you weren't here to try and fix it up for me. I seem to remember you being spectacularly bad in that department.”  
“I’m sorry Sir. Janet’s given me a few tips on first aid since then.”  
“Relax Major, I’m just kidding. Daniel was just as bad at it as you, by the way.”  
“I can hear you Jack!” they heard Daniel say from across the room. Sam gave a ghost of a smile.  
Encouraged, Jack went on. “So Carter, here we are again, stranded, injured leg. What do we think is worse, the freezing cold, or this damned unbearable heat?”  
“Hard to say Sir,” she said. “At least in Antarctica, no one was trying to torture us.”  
“True. Although you gave it your best shot setting my leg.” She laughed softly. “No giggling!” He admonished her, which just made her laugh harder. Then she looked over at her father, stopped laughing and sighed softly. Even though it hurt to move, Jack extended his arm. “Come here” he said. She scooted in closer and laid her head on his shoulder. He took a minute to appreciate how nice it was having her there. How she felt so right underneath his arm.  
“I hope you're not giving up on me Major,” he said, “because we absolutely are getting out of here with your dad.” She was silent for a minute. “Carter?” he prompted.  
She was starting to lose hope and was thinking it was impossible, but she knew better than to argue with him. “Yes Sir,” she whispered, leaning in just a little bit more. 

Apophis looked down at his Tok’ra prisoner on his knees, head bowed in front of him and allowed himself a sinister, triumphant smile. Finally, he had learned something he could use. He had been informed that Major Carter was host to a Tok’ra symbiote for a short time, and now this hassak had revealed that that symbiote was Jolinar, who had been his mate. This had just proved what he always believed, that the Tok’ra were weak and inferior.  
“Go and bring me the female” he ordered his guards. 

Sam had started to doze off resting on the Colonel’s shoulder. She knew she should go check on her father, but she couldn’t quite summon the energy. The heat held her down like a physical weight. Besides, she was so comfortable where she was. She felt safe for the first time since they had left Earth and set off for Netu. She jerked fully awake when the gate clanged open yet again. Since the guards had developed something of a pattern where they were concerned, she was immediately worried when she saw that they were alone.  
“Where’s Martouf?” she asked, not actually expecting an answer. The guard holding the staff weapon lowered it to point at her.  
“Come with us woman,” he demanded.  
“Um, over my dead body,” the Colonel responded trying to get up.  
The guard shifted his aim to Jack. “Careful human,” he said threateningly, “nothing would give me more pleasure.”  
“Sir please,” Sam whispered. “Don’t get yourself killed for me. I'll be alright. She gently lifted his arm off her shoulder and stood up. “I’m coming,” she said. Her legs felt like lead and her head was still hammering as she was forced along. The guard’s grip on her arm was so tight she knew it would leave bruises.  
She was concerned about Martouf and why they had come for her again. She had tried to warn him that Apophis could use Jolinar against him. He had tried to hide it, but she could tell he was angry and felt betrayed. Had he already broken, or was Apophis planning to use her to push him over the edge?  
Sam liked Martouf, he was a good friend, and he had taken good care of her father, helping him to acclimate to his new life with the Tok’ra. However, she couldn’t quite escape the feeling that Martouf had been just a little too eager to engage in this rescue plan. Deep down she wondered if he had seen a last desperate chance to discover Jolinar’s final secret, and had seized it, at her expense.  
Even though she felt a little used, she couldn’t summon up the energy to be angry about it. Given the chance to hold on to a small piece of a lost loved one, she would even have had a hard time passing that up. She could never tell the Colonel though. He would probably zat Martouf. Twice.  
As they yet again approached Apophis’s new quarters, she heard a sound that made her blood run cold. It was Martouf. Begging.


	8. Chapter 8

There’s nothing quite like waiting around to be tortured, Daniel thought wryly. Every time the gate banged open his heart started racing. Jack and Sam had both come back rather worse for wear. The last thing Daniel wanted was to see Apophis again, much less to have him start sifting through his mind. He was still consumed with grief and anger every time he thought of Sha’re.   
At this point the guards had come for everyone else but him. They had just dragged Sam away for the second time. She had been sitting next to Jack, and for one second Daniel saw panic and hopelessness cross her face as the guard’s hand closed around her upper arm, but she glanced back at Jacob and her usual strong defiant look took its place.   
To say that Jack was pissed was an understatement. “Why the hell did they take her again?”  
“I don’t know Jack.”  
“This is all Martouf’s fault, I just know it. Somehow he royally screwed up, probably gave them the keys to Earth. If he gets Carter hurt, I swear I'll shoot him.” Jack was struggling to get up and Daniel was worried he was going to hurt himself. He left Jacob, walked over and put his hands on the Colonel’s shoulders.  
“Jack! Calm down. You’re just going to make your leg worse. We don’t know what happened. Besides, the Tok’ra are our allies, you can’t just go shooting them, and you know Sam can handle herself.”  
Jack’s eyes narrowed, but he nodded. Jacob started stirring, “Sam?” he murmured in a cracked whisper.   
Daniel gently pushed Jack back to the ground. “I’m going to check on Jacob,” he said, “Just sit down and rest, we need you, okay?”

The room started to spin around him and Martouf slowly blinked his eyes. When he opened them again he was on his home planet. Smoke snaked around him and screams echoed in his ears. The air was thick with the smell of burned flesh and staff weapon discharge. Ra’s Jaffa had come and had killed so many of his friends and family. He looked down, there was blood on his hands.   
Now he lay on the ground exhausted to the point of death in the slave camp. The suns burned in his eyes when suddenly a shadow crossed his face. It was a woman, and the light made a halo around her face. She was beautiful. At first he thought she was an angel, there to escort him to the afterlife. In some ways she was. It was Jolinar, she helped him escape, opened his eyes to the truth about Goa’uld and gave him the chance to join the Tok’ra and fight back.   
He stared off the ridge of Noctana. He was alone. But then he looked up and noticed a figure was walking towards him, glowing in the bright moonlight.   
“Jolinar?” He asked incredulously as she approached. “You're alive?” She didn’t say anything but reached for him. She ran her hands up over his chest to his shoulders. Looking him deeply in the eyes she brushed his hair away from his face.   
“I thought I lost you” Martouf whispered hoarsely, staring deeply down into the features he loved so much.   
“My love,” she said, “You could never lose me. Let’s go home together.”  
“Home?” He asked.  
“To the Tok’ra homeworld. Take me there Martouf.”  
He took a step back. He couldn’t remember this, it felt...wrong. He took her hands in his, “let's stay here together. We’ll stay up all night again.”   
She stood on her tiptoes, placed a gentle kiss on his lips, then squeezed his hands before walking away.   
“Wait, Jolinal, where are you going? Don’t leave me!” He called after her but she kept walking until she faded away into the moonlight.   
The moonlight dissolved into darkness pierced by candlelight. Jolinar was before him kneeling. Martouf tried to get to her but his legs wouldn’t move. A dark figure walked over and touched a painstick against the back of her neck. She screamed and screamed. Martouf tried to cover his ears but the sound reverberated around inside his head.   
“Help me Martouf” she called out. “Help me! Tell them where the Tok’ra base is. Tell them and they'll stop.”  
Martouf was sobbing now. “Lantash, what do I do?” he desperately asked his symbiote.   
“Martouf, think! This isn’t right, this isn't a real memory. Don’t give in.” Martouf tried to hold on as his symbiote's voice was drowned out amongst the screams.   
He was back in Binar’s quarters. Apophis was gone and on the bed Binar himself was tangled up with a woman. She gasped in pleasure and ran her hands over his head before digging her nails into his back. The woman looked over Binar’s shoulder at Martouf and smiled. It was Jolinar. But it wasn’t Jolinar’s kind, lovely smile. This smile was cold and malicious.  
“Hello Martouf,” she said in a cruel voice, “So you found out how I escaped Natu after all. I never told you because I found it quite enjoyable.”  
“No,” Martouf choked out.   
“Oh yes. I needed someone with passion after 100 years with you. You were weak and pathetic.   
“Martouf!” Lantash urged, “Martouf don’t listen to her!”   
“No!” he yelled out this time, blood was rushing in his ears and he was too angry to listen to his symbiote. “I don’t believe you, Samantha Carter told me how you felt. She said you left that memory with her.”  
Jolinar cocked her head to the side. “Samantha Carter said this? She was my host?”  
“Yes of course,” he said confused, “she was the one who told me how you escaped.”  
Jolinar smiled widely and stepped off the bed. “Well then, we will have to thank Samantha Carter now won’t we.”  
Realization slammed into Martouf and the room started spinning again. Jolinar was laughing but it didn’t sound like her. “You will tell me where the Tok’ra base is, or she will die” he heard her say.   
“No, please,” he begged, “please.”


	9. Chapter 9

After hearing Martouf from the hallway, Sam was worried as to what she might find in the room. As she was pulled through the doorway she wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or more concerned at the sight of Martouf kneeling on the floor with no obvious injuries, but looking thoroughly defeated. Apophis walked over and yanked the memory device from his temple smiling triumphantly.   
“Martouf?” she asked uncertainly.  
He slowly looked up and his whole face lit up with a smile. “Jolinar,” he whispered.   
Damn, thought Sam. This is exactly what she had been worried about. The guards pushed her down to her knees which screamed in protest over the repeated offense of being slammed into the hard floor.   
“Martouf,” she said softly, “it’s me, it’s Sam.” He looked at her in a way that made her believe that he had no idea who she was. Clearly Apophis had really done a number on him.   
“Here is your mate, Jolinar,” Apophis said circling around the pair of them. Sam tried not to react to that pronouncement. Had she given that fact up? “Now,” continued Apophis stopping behind Martouf, “you will tell me where the Tok’ra base is, or you will watch her die, slowly.”   
Sam was shocked to see a tear fall down the face of the calm, confident Tok’ra.   
“No,” he whispered.  
“Martouf!” Sam said sharply, “I’m not Jolinar, do not tell him anything.”   
“Be silent!” Apophis ordered. Martouf looked at Sam with a look of despair on his face but didn’t say anything. “Very well,” continued Apophis, he raised his hand with the ribbon device. The gem in his palm glowed, and the beam shot out into Sam’s head. 

Daniel was trying to lighten the mood without much success. “I have never wanted a shower more now than in my entire life. Except for maybe that time I was stuck under the ocean for days with Nem. You know, the fish man guy. Or when Ma’chello took over my body. Or the time I spent two weeks excavating a tomb in Egypt. It was so fascinating I didn’t want to leave so I just slept by the site the whole time, my graduate assistants wouldn’t come near me…”  
“I get it Daniel,” Jack interrupted grumpily. Daniel was sitting next to Jacob and Jack was sitting with his back to him, arms crossed tightly staring at the gate. Daniel could practically feel him glowering.  
“Actually, definitely after Hathor,” Daniel muttered. “Probably like multiple showers.”  
“How long has she been gone?”   
“Oh, I dunno, five minutes more than the last time you asked me?”  
“Daniel!” Jack snapped.  
“Well I don’t actually know, Martouf wouldn’t let me bring my watch.”  
“That’s not the point, you just seem to be rather,” he paused, trying to find a word, “flippant about this whole thing.”  
“Is that what you think Jack? That I don’t care? That I’m not worried about Sam? And about you and Martouf and Jacob? Because I am, I’m worried sick. I’m the only one left here who hasn’t been tortured, or, or shot. I’m just trying my best to not be consumed by it.”   
“Sorry,” Jack grunted out.   
“It’s okay,” Daniel said. After a moment of silence he continued on carefully, “it’s okay you know, to care.”  
“What?” Jack asked.   
Daniel hurried on, “I mean, Teal’c and I both know that you care about…” Jack jerked his head around and gave Daniel a sharp look, “all of us,” he quickly amended. “You care about the team.” He finished lamely. Jack gave a noncommittal grunt.   
“I’m sure she’ll be back soon Jack,” Daniel said after a few minutes. Jack didn’t answer. 

Sam felt as though her head was being burned from the inside out. It was excruciating. She wanted to scream but she couldn’t make her lips move. Suddenly, Apophis lifted his hand and the assault stopped. She gasped, the guards holding her arms the only thing keeping from falling on her face. How long had it been? Seconds? Hours?   
“My love,” she heard Martouf say his voice thick, “please forgive me”  
Sam tried to clear her vision, “no” she choked out. Don’t do it.”  
“I grow tired of this Tok’ra!” Apophis said impatiently. He yanked the staff weapon from a guard’s grasp and walked behind Sam. She tried not to wince as he held it to the back of her head and she heard the crackling sound as it activated. “Where is it?” he demanded. Sam shook her head  
“I cannot let him kill you,” Martouf said, lowering his gaze to the floor. “Entac,” he said softly. “The Tok’ra are on the planet Entac.”


	10. Chapter 10

Daniel jumped up the second he heard the sound of footsteps approaching the gate. Jack and Jacob were either asleep or unconscious. He was relieved to see both Sam and Martouf shoved in by the guards. Sam stumbled but kept her balance but Martouf staggered and went down.   
“Sam!” Daniel said, “you okay?”  
She nodded wearily straightening. “Is my...”  
“He’s still here,” Daniel answered quickly sensing her question as the guards entered as well. “I assume you’re here for me,” he said to them stepping forward.   
“Daniel Jackson,” the guard in front said.   
“Yep, that’s me,” Daniel said brightly. “Off we go then.” He walked forward leaving the slightly confused guards to catch up. He looked over his shoulder at Sam who was helping Martouf up. She gave him a single nod and he nodded back before the guards grabbed his arm and pulled him through the gate and out of sight. 

Sam had been terrified that she would get back and find that it was too late for her dad. She was grateful to see the rise and fall of his chest, albeit shallow and too fast. His skin felt like paper under her hand and was even hotter than the air around them.   
His eyes flickered open, “Sam? Sam?” he said frantically in a faint cracked voice.   
“Shhh,” she reassured him, “It’s okay. I’m here Dad, just rest.”  
“You were gone, and I was so worried about you.”  
“I’m fine dad,” she said breezily, “just had to leave for a little while.”  
He sighed a ragged breath. “Don’t think I don’t know what’s going on here Sam. I am so sorry that you are all in this mess because of me.”   
“Dad,” she said, “you should know that we don’t leave our people behind.” He laughed briefly before it turned into a hacking cough. Sam rubbed his back, concerned, until he finally stopped.   
“Oh if I’d have known a year ago that I’d need to be rescued from an alien prison planet and that I’d be sharing my body with an ancient symbiote I’d have thought I was going nuts,” he gasped out.   
Sam smiled, “life is funny that way.”   
Jacob looked at her, “thanks kiddo,” he said.   
“For what?” she asked.  
“For saving my life, giving me this opportunity, and for coming after me now. I wish you wouldn’t have, but I’m grateful.”   
She took his hand and squeezed it gently. “I love you dad.”  
“Love you too Sam.” His eyes slowly shut and he drifted off again.   
“I don’t know that he ever said that to me before he blended with Selmak,” she said to Martouf, who had settled next to her.   
“I am sure that he felt it,” Martouf said thoughtfully, “but perhaps he didn’t know how to express it.”  
“Yeah, maybe.” She rubbed her head, which at this point was hurting with the slightest movement she made.  
“Are you alright Samantha?” Martouf asked, concerned.   
“Yeah,” she said, “I’ll be fine, I just really, really hate those damn hand devices.”  
His face broke with regret, “I am so sorry, I never meant for him to hurt you.”  
Understanding dawned on Sam, “you told Apophis about Jolinar being your mate!”  
Martouf hung his head, “Yes,” he said. “Please forgive me.”  
She sighed. “I understand you loved Jolinar, and I have felt how she felt about you, but I wish you wouldn’t have told Apophis about the Tok’ra base. We don’t have any way of warning them to start evacuating.”  
“I knew it was you,” he said quietly, “but I could not bear to watch him kill you. Not when I could do something about it.”   
“You lied?” she asked incredulously.  
Martouf nodded. Apophis is desperate, and therefore more likely to accept a deception. There are no Tok’ra on Entac.”  
“I think he bought it, you were very believable.”  
They both looked up at the sound of a voice. “Hey Marty, a word?” Jack was standing there, balanced on one leg looking as angry as Sam had ever seen him.   
She jumped to her feet, “Sir, how did you even...you shouldn’t be walking around.” She tried to take his arm but he brushed her off. Martouf slowly rose to his feet as well.   
“You gave up information to Apophis?” he demanded. Martouf opened his mouth to answer but Sam quickly interjected. “It’s alright Sir, he lied, Apophis doesn’t really know anything. He did it to protect me.”  
Jack's face darkened at that. “Well that’s another thing Carter, he shouldn't have gotten you in the middle of that in the first place. He’s been using you this whole time. He used you to find out more about his dead girlfriend and he keeps using you to hold on to a piece of her. Well here’s a newsflash, Carter isn’t Jolinar and I'll be damned if I don’t hate that that thing was ever inside of her in the first place and that you ever found out about it!”  
“Sir!” Sam said.  
Martouf held up his hand. “I am truly sorry for any pain I have caused any of you, especially Samantha. I may have let some personal feelings affect this mission. It is hard to completely let go of someone you have loved for so long. I apologize for this. Please understand Colonel that I never wanted any harm to come to Major Carter. I swear that I will never take advantage of her memories of Jolinar again.”  
Sam looked between the two men, Jack still looked exceedingly pissed and she was glad he wasn’t armed.   
“Okay then,” he finally bit out. Sam took his arm again and this time he let her.   
“Right,” she said, helping the Colonel sit back down. “Once they bring Daniel back we’re going to need a plan.”


	11. Chapter 11

As the guards led Daniel into Binar’s old quarters Apophis his arms spread wide. “Daniel Jackson,” he said.   
“Apophis,” Daniel bit out, anger starting to overcome him. “I should have killed you when I had the chance.”  
“As I told you before, you do not possess the strength to do so. And even if you did, you cannot kill me, I am a god.”  
“You are not a god,” Daniel replied, “I watched you die.”   
“And yet, here I stand,” Apophis said triumphantly. “It is a pity that you and your kind are so weak. If it were not so, perhaps you would not have lost Amaunet to me.”  
Daniel’s vision went red and he clenched his hands. “Her name was Sha’re and I did not lose her, you took her from me,” he said bitterly.   
“Amaunet,” Apophis said slowly pacing across the room. “How I loved her.” Daniel dug his nails into the palms of his hands as Apophis continued on. “I always found human mating rituals most distasteful, but with Amaunet it was quite remarkable. I quite enjoyed myself and I believe she did too.”  
Something snapped in Daniel’s head, all his careful control, compassion and logic fled as he launched himself at Apophis. The guards quickly dragged him back before he could even reach the Goa’uld but he continued to struggle against them as Apophis threw his head back and laughed. “Daniel Jackson, you are most amusing,” he said then snapped his fingers. One of the guards caught Daniel in a headlock and Apophis walked over and pushed the memory device none too gently into his temple.   
“Gahh” said Daniel, unable to move. The guards dragged him down to his knees and he panted as the pressure on his neck was finally released.   
“Now,” said Apophis, coming to stand in front of him. “You took something that belonged to me, and I want to know where it is.”

Sam, Jack and Martouf had been back and forth trying to come up with a plan without much success. As long as they were working on a common goal, Jack was maintaining civility with Martouf which Sam was grateful for. She had casually examined both the overhead and inside gates and could not find any way of breaking or forcing them open. With Jack out of commission and without knowing what shape Daniel would be in when he was returned, they didn’t think there was any way they would be able to jump the guards again.   
They fell silent after a while, trying to come up with a solution to an impossible situation. Finally Martouf spoke up, “Apophis does not have much time before Sokar arrives and seeks vengeance for Binar’s death. He believes he knows the location of the Tok’ra resistance, so why did he still take Dr. Jackson?”  
“Daniel and Apophis have a sort of...thing going between them,” Jack said.   
“A thing?” Martouf asked, “I do not understand.”  
Sam looked at Jack who nodded his head imperceptibly. She sighed and explained, “Apophis took Daniel’s wife Sha’re as a host for his mate, Amaunet. And then Apophis fathered a child with her. Daniel actually delivered the baby back on Abydos. After he was born though Amaunet regained control. Daniel was able to hide the baby for a while, but Amaunet found the baby right before Teal’c killed her because she was trying to kill Daniel.” Martouf’s eyes had grown wide during Sam’s hasty explanation.   
“And you were worried about me being emotionally manipulated by Apophis, Samantha?” he asked with a small smile.   
She smiled slightly back, “now that I say it all out loud, maybe we should be concerned.”  
“It’s Daniel,” said Jack, “he’s got it all under control. 

Daniel stood in the middle of the desert. It was so bright he could hardly see. The wind whipped the sand around him and it stung his skin. He squinted and could make out a figure walking towards him. Slowly it materialized into his father in law, Kasuf.  
“Hello Son,” he said.  
“Hello good father,” Daniel replied, bowing his head, “it is good to see you.”   
“What have you done with my daughter?” Kasuf asked.  
“Father,” Daniel said hesitantly, “I told you, I was unable to save your daughter. She...she is dead.”  
“You failed her,” Kasuf said accusingly. “You were unable to protect her, you were never worthy of her. I should never have allowed her to marry you.”  
Daniel took a step back, stung. “Kasuf, I loved your daughter very much. It tears me apart that I could not save her. If I could, I would give my own life to bring her back.”  
“Not good enough!” Kasuf shouted. “Not only did you fail her, but you failed her son. They came, and they took the one piece of my daughter that I still had.”  
“I have been looking for the child, I am sure that I will find him.”  
“Where is he? Where is the boy?”  
Daniel cocked his head to the side. “I, I don’t know where he is, father.”  
“You must know!” Kasuf continued shouting. “Where is he? Tell me!”  
“No,” Daniel replied firmly. “I’m not telling you.”  
“Tell me now, where is my son?”  
“NO!” Daniel yelled. The desert disintegrated around him and he was kneeling on the hard floor, Apophis in front of him. He roared in anger and backhanded Daniel across the face. Daniel sprawled across the floor and as he went down he saw it, the communication device. If only he could get to it. He knew he probably only had seconds. What would Jack do? He thought frantically to himself. It was that crazy half ass thought that led him to drive his fist into the nearest guard’s stomach who retaliated by punching Daniel hard enough back to make lights pop behind his eyes but also to send him sailing over the table where the communication device was and to neatly snatch it in his hand before crashing to the floor. 

When the guards brought Daniel back he slowly sank to the ground next to the others before revealing the communication device. “I got this back,” he said proudly.  
“Nice!” said Jack patting him on the back. He rubbed his hands together, “now ladies and gentleman, we have a plan.”


	12. Epilogue

Sam and Jacob sat on the front porch of a tiny cabin in the Alaskan mountains. It had been two weeks since their escape from Natu and Sam still couldn’t believe that they were back safely on Earth. Once again when the end had seemed all but inevitable with the planet minutes from destruction they had beaten the odds and made it back home. After ringing aboard the cargo ship they flew back to the Tok’ra base where their healers assured Sam that Jacob would be alright. They offered to patch up SG1 as well, but Sam and Daniel thought that while it would be faster, perhaps it was best for Jack not to be around any more Tok’ra for the moment, and besides, General Hammond would want to be debriefed.   
After running a few fluid IV’s, Janet had Sam and Daniel out of the infirmary within a day but Jack’s leg needed surgery. General Hammond granted the team extra leave while the Colonel recovered and Jacob arrived back on Earth several days later perfectly healthy again and ready for a father daughter trip.   
Alaska was beautiful, and Sam had never been so glad to be cold in all her life. She was wrapped up in a blanket now, hands wrapped around a steaming cup of coffee. She had offered some to her Dad as well, but after a brief internal argument with Selmak he sighed exasperatedly and said he’d make himself some tea instead.   
“You know kiddo,” Jacb said after a while of admiring the scenery, “I know I seemed out of it on Netu, but I heard a lot of went on.”  
“Oh yeah?” Sam said lightly, wondering where this was going.   
“Yeah,” Jacob said. “You know, Martouf is a good guy.”  
“I know that Dad.” she said.   
“He did the best he could with an impossible choice, and I just don’t want you to hold anything that happened against him.”  
“I don’t, I promise.”  
“Okay, good,”Jacob said. “Now I just need to convince Jack.”  
Sam laughed, ”you may have a harder time with that one Dad. I think he knows it though. He just won’t admit it.”  
Jacob was quiet for a minute then said, “Jack’s a good guy too kiddo. He’s a major pain in the ass and I don’t envy George, but it makes me feel better knowing he’s got my little girl’s back out there.”  
Sam tilted her head to the side, “you didn’t threaten him, right Dad? Like you did with my first CO?”  
“I never threatened anyone sweetheart! There may have been certain words exchanged, but the point is, I don’t need to do that with Jack. I think he has his own reasons.”  
Sam thought about responding, but decided it was best to just ignore that last comment and instead said, “we’ve all got each other’s backs out there Dad.”  
“That you do. Thanks again for coming to save your old man.” He kissed her on the forehead and she snuggled up next to him smiling.   
“Anytime Dad. A few more days of this to enjoy, and then it’s back to saving the world.”


End file.
